The combination of good healthcare (95% of Colombian citizens have health insurance), an already strong clinical trial industry, stringent regulations issued in 2008 that requires sites to be certified by INVIMA (Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia de Medicamentos y Alimentos) and a relatively quick and predictable approval process for launching a trial has made it a desirable clinical trial destination.

Great healthcare infrastructure and business environment. Colombia has almost 50% of the best clinics and hospitals in Latin America. Learn more.

Colombia is one of the top three countries in Latin America's on the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business annual report. Learn more.

Highly motivated and experienced principal investigators —many of them are bilingual and trained in the US or Europe.

Generous government tax incentives: Life sciences startups that directly or indirectly create an entity in Colombia and invest in —or give donations to— R&D projects (e.g. clinical trials), can get a tax deduction of 175% of the amount invested and qualify for over $150 million available for grants in 2015. Read more.

Colombia is a Latin-American leader in volume of clinical research and receives about 40 annual trials.